St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-04-16

SiluatlOH more 1ullV tnan 4 dlu. we
were seventy or eighty miles from set
Element and doctor, and his chances
OF getting help We're very dubious.
| was too overcome to do any thing, but
presently, when. he had got the better
OF the pain, he instructed me how to
make a bandage and get at the wound,
which was bleeding freely. After the
bandage was on also applied a tourni-
| quet, and then he said:
'You have a hard job before you to
get me to camp. You must contrive
some sort of slcd.'
This | could not do without going to
camp for the axe and some ropes. |
got him in rs comfortable position as
possible, and then hurried off, and in
less than an hour after | started | was
back again with the axe, ropes, and Il
couple OF blankets. cut two saplings
with proper crook or bow to them,
dashed on some cross pieces, and then
peeled some bark to make a deck.
When the blankets had been spread on
top of this my work was done. The
sleigh and its load would not be much
of a pull over the smooth surface when
once started. | hadn't a suspicion that
there were wolves about, or that we were
i'll the least danger from those animals.
| had drawn Zane forty or fifty feet
from the spot where the accident oc-
cured, and was fixing him in position
to ride easily, when five great wolves
suddenly appeared from | could not
say where and began licking the blood
off the snow, meanwhile growing and
fighting in the most savage manner
They were of light gray COLOR of
good size, and had sneaked up while 1
was busy with the wounded man. T
was astonished for the moment, but
felt no alarm until Zane, seeming to
make a great effort to control the
bodily pain and mental excitement.
said:
''Start for the cabin at once, and
mind no more about me. lean hang
on some way, while We shall be attack
ed if we stay here
| moved off at once, and as soon as
the sledge was fairly under way
moved very fast, but had not gone
one-third of the distance to our cabin
before seventeen wolves. formed in
crescent shape, came tearing after us.
They had open ground to maneuver on,
and | saw the object was to encircIe
us. will say this much in my own
defense, for it is only justice, that
was not a bit ratified, perhaps not real
zing the full danger. | supposed that
a shot or two would scatter the beasts,
but was not yet ready to halt and de-
liver them when the sledge, with its
heavy load, struck weak spot in the
crust, broke through, and | was jerked
on my back. | scrambled up to find
the wolves in circle around us. and
not thirty feet away, and now saw by
their looks and actions that we were
in deadly peril. Zane must have real
lied this sooner than did, but the
calmness of despair made his voice
steady as he said:
''Open fire as quick and as fast as
you can, for they mean to attack us"
[ had a Winchester, and | began to |
pop away as fast as l could work the
gun. l dropped three wolves and
wounded a fourth, and then they
rushed in on US. just what occurred |
.or the next twenty seconds | can not
clearly remember. A wolf must have
sprung at me from behind, for | was
down. I got up and struck
'wo or three with my gun, made a dash
through an opening, and one glance
showed me that the whole pack was
over Zane and was tearing
lin to pieces. don't remember that
lie uttered cry OF shout or groan. /
stood like one dazed for few seconds,
md then | dashed away for the cabin
md heard the bowls of fresh wolves
coming up. | was pursued, and as
cached the hut and closed the door a
lozen wolves came against it, but I
vas safe. All that night I was be-
legged, the wolves seeming to number
hundred or more, but their efforts to
ret at me OF the mules were unsuccess-
I'll, and next day they disappeared,
lor did they gather again during the
week remained in the cabin before
eaving for home. When / went out
0 look for the remains of poor Zane I
ould not find a solitary trace aside
rom rifle and knife. Even his boot
eels and buttons seemed to have been
aten, while the stock of the rifle had
cen gnawed and splintered until it
yas useless.-N 7. Sun.
"A Nevada newspaper says that